- Fiesta success: Sales in Europe reach 850,000 after only two years in market, with one million Fiestas sold globally by early October
- Ford confirmed as Europe's No.2 best-selling passenger car brand in September and for the first nine months of 2010
- Ford was also No.2 brand for total vehicle sales (passenger cars and commercial vehicles) in September
- Ford retained overall year-to-date market leadership in the UK, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and Turkey
- Kuga posts best volume and share since launch in early 2008: volume up 22 per cent or 10,000 versus 2009 year-to-date
- In the UK, Ford leads market segments year-to-date 2010 with Fiesta, Focus, Galaxy and Transit
- Continued success in Scandinavian markets: Ford's year-to-date sales in Sweden, Norway and Denmark up by 42, 31 and 29 per cent respectively
- Ford share and volume down year-on-year as European total market continues to decline for the sixth successive month, with lowest September industry year-to-date volume since 1995 (traditional Euro 19 markets)
COLOGNE, October 14, 2010 – The Ford Fiesta – Ford's top-selling car in Europe – continues to go from strength-to-strength. In September, the 850,000th Ford Fiesta was sold in Europe, just two years after the latest generation model was launched.
Another major Fiesta milestone was reached at the start of October, when global sales of the model surpassed the one million mark. Fiesta is now available on five continents, and is manufactured in five Ford production facilities around the world, including Cologne, Germany and Valencia, Spain.
Ford of Europe's strongest product range ever helped the company to maintain its firm position as Europe's No.2 best-selling passenger car brand in September and for the first nine months of 2010. Ford was also No.2 European brand for both passenger and commercial vehicle sales in September.
This success comes despite continued and heavy competitive discounting, coupled with the lowest September year-to-date industry volume across Ford's traditional 19 European markets since 1995.
Ford also maintained market leadership in the UK, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland and Turkey, and was the No.1 imported brand in Italy and the Czech Republic year-to-date.
Total European new car sales declined for the sixth month in September, down by 7.5 per cent to 1,407,600 units, the lowest September level in the Euro 19 markets since 1998. Ford expects total industry sales to reach between 14.5 and 15.0 million units in 2010, down from 15.9 million last year.
"Ford remains one of the strongest players in the European auto industry. Our product-led strategy in Europe is successful, and we're sticking to it," said Ingvar Sviggum, Ford of Europe's vice president of Marketing, Sales and Service. "Ford's plan is to stay competitive and retain a strong presence in Europe despite the declining market. This is best achieved by balancing revenue, volume, market expense, and by building our overall brand reputation.
"It's even more important today to offer customers high quality, safe, smart and environmentally friendly products that they really want. The response to our range of new vehicles, including the new C-MAX family, the new Mondeo and the new Focus that we are launching through the balance of 2010 and into early next year, gives us great confidence moving forward", Mr Sviggum added.
Ford registered sales of 127,500 new vehicles - 24,600 units or 16.2 per cent lower on September 2009. Market share in these markets was 9.1 per cent for the month, 0.9 percentage points down on September 2009. Market share increased in five out of Ford's traditional 19 European markets in September.
Ford's traditional 19 European markets year-to-date
For September year-to-date, 1,003,600 new Ford vehicles were registered – a decrease of 93,100 units or 8.5 per cent from last year. Year-to-date September market share in Ford's traditional 19 European markets was 8.6 per cent, down 0.6 percentage points on the same period in 2009. Ford's share increased in four of its traditional 19 European markets in the first nine months of 2010.
All 51 European markets in September and year-to-date
Ford of Europe sold 151,000 new vehicles in September across all its 51 markets, a reduction of 14.8 per cent, or 26,100 vehicles, on the same month 2009. For the year-to-date, 1,175,600 new Ford vehicles have been registered, representing a reduction of 86,300 compared to the same period in 2009. Ford sales were 6.9 per cent lower compared to 2009.
September sales highlights
Market Performance:
- No.2 best-selling passenger car brand in September in Europe. Also no.2 best-selling brand for total vehicles.
- Market leader in the UK, Hungary and Turkey for the month.
- Ford's share in its main 19 European markets was 9.1 per cent for September, 0.9 ppts below last year.
- Increased share in five of Ford's main 19 European markets.
- Ford's volume in France was down by 1,700 units versus September last year to 10,200, while market share fell slightly by 0.6 ppts to 4.9 per cent.
- Ford was again No.1 imported brand in Italy for both passenger cars and total vehicles.
- Switzerland's September volume of 1,400 was up 400 units or 34 per cent on September 2009. Market share of 5.9 per cent was 1.4 ppts higher – the highest September share improvement of all Ford's traditional 19 European markets in September.
- Highest share gains in the traditional 19 European region were delivered in Greece (up 3.3 ppts; market share at 9.7 per cent, the highest since 1993, making the country No.1 passenger car brand for the month), Switzerland (up 1.4 ppts; share at 5.9 per cent, the second best September share since 2000) and Norway (up 1 ppts, at 10.4 per cent, the highest September share sine 1995).
Model Performance:
- Fiesta (39,400), Focus (25,100), and Transit (14,800) were Ford of Europe's three top-selling vehicles.
- Fiesta was also the best-selling foreign vehicle for the month in Italy.
- Since its market debut in October 2008, one million customers have purchased the Fiesta around the world, with 850,000 cars being sold in Europe.
- Kuga sales of 7,600 were up 700 units or 10.1 per cent on 2009 and the highest September volume and share since launch in February 2008.
- S-MAX and Transit had another strong month in September, with S-MAX sales soaring by 9.1 per cent; and Transit Connect by 14.7 per cent versus September 2009.
- C-MAX and S-MAX were the top-selling imported products in their segments in France.
- Retail sales accounted for 76 per cent of Ka, 69 per cent of Fiesta, 63 per cent of Fusion, and 61 per cent of Kuga sales in September 2010.
September year-to-date 2010 performance
Market Performance:
- No.2 top-selling passenger car brand in Europe year-to-date.
- Market leader in the UK, Denmark, Ireland, Hungary and Turkey.
- Ford's share increased in four of its main 19 European markets.
- In France, registrations slightly decreased to 103,300, down by 5,100 units or 4.7 per cent lower on 2009.
- Year-to-date September sales volume in Spain rose to 74,300, up by 9.5 per cent or 6,500 on the same period 2009 – the highest September YTD volume improvement in Ford's five major markets (Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain).
- Leading import brand in the Czech Republic and Italy for the nine months of 2010.
- In the nine months of 2010, Switzerland reported a volume of 13,800, up by 2,000 units or an increase of 16.8 per cent on the same period 2009 and the highest year-to-date September volume there since 2001. Share of 5.8 per cent, up by 0.4 ppts on year-to-date September 2009, was the best September year-to-date share since 1999.
- Scandinavian markets continued to perform well in the nine months of 2010. Sweden had registrations of 15,500, up by 4,600 units, an increase of 42.1 per cent on 2009 and the highest year-to-date volume improvement in all of Ford's 19 markets. In Norway registrations rose 2,500 units or 31 per cent to 10,700. Denmark's sales volume was at 12,300, up by 2,800 or an increase of 29.2 per cent on the nine months of 2009, the highest September year-to-date volume since 2007.
- The highest share gains of all 19 markets in the nine months of 2010 were in Switzerland (+0.4 ppts at 5.8 per cent share), Sweden (+0.3 ppts to 6.5 per cent, the highest YTD September share since 2002), and Greece (+0.3 ppts each to 7.3 per cent, the best September year-to-date share there since 2007).
- Year-to-date 2010, Turkey's share was at 15.5 per cent, up by 0.7 ppts on the same period 2009.
Model Performance:
- The three best-selling vehicles year-to-date 2010 were the Fiesta (322,900), Focus (201,700) and Transit (97,300).
- In the nine months of 2010, Fiesta remained the best-selling foreign vehicle in Italy.
- 79,000 new Ford Ka vehicles have been delivered to Ford customers this year, slightly down by 1,100 units or 1.4 per cent on the nine months of 2009. Ka share was the best since 2002.
- Kuga has been a hit with customers in the nine months of 2010 with sales of 55,500, up by 10,000 or 22 per cent on the nine months of 2009 – the highest volume improvement of a Ford vehicle in the main 19 markets year-to-date September 2010 and the best year-to-date September volume and share for Kuga since launch in February 2008.
- Ford segment-leading in the UK with Fiesta, Focus and Galaxy year-to-date.
- C-MAX and S-MAX were the best-selling foreign vehicles in their segment in France.
- Fiesta remained No.1 best-selling car in the UK year-to-date, while Transit was the best-selling commercial vehicle year-to-date 2010.
